


To the Ends of the Earth

by CatOfLello



Category: Wiedźmin | The Witcher (Video Game), Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, F/M, Fate & Destiny, Magic, Past Relationship(s), Surprise Child
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-11
Updated: 2017-11-22
Packaged: 2019-03-06 00:18:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,511
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13399380
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CatOfLello/pseuds/CatOfLello





	1. Chapter 1

Winds howled causing the treetops to sway as lightning lit up the moonless night. Rain pounded down on a cloaked rider as he raced along a muddy path. The rider looked behind him, straining his eyes in the darkness to see if their pursuers were still on their trail. They had been running for two days and his horse was nearly spent and more worryingly, so was he. He urged on his galloping horse, its hooves tore furiously at the earth. In the distance, he could see the large boulder marking the beginning of the road to safety. 

Thunder boomed and his precious cargo jumped making him wince as his shirt tugged painfully at the scab on his chest. With a quick and well-practised movement of his hand, he cast a sign and calmed the slender girl who was partially wrapped in his wet cloak. 

“Go to sleep we’re nearly there. Just a little farther” 

The rider struggled to keep his eyes open against the rain, his eyelids were growing heavy from exhaustion. He pulled the reins, turning his horse down a narrow path and raced on into darkness. When they reached a broken oak tree, he pulled a small silver trinket from the pouch on his belt and held it above his head.

“Codwch tywyllwch, gan ddangos y ffordd i mi!”

The trinket vibrated and began to glow. It lifted from his hand then zigzagged through the trees. The rider followed the floating light through the dense thorny bushes. He barely noticed the thorns cutting his legs. Finally, he could see a dim light of a candle set by a window of a small cottage in the woods. He raced on towards the cottage, the rain stinging his face. He felt the girl stir again, this a time he didn’t bother with the hand sign. 

His horse slowed it’s pace and tossed its head before it collapsed. The rider made a graceful roll onto the ground narrowly missing the frantically kicking hooves of his horse. A sickening pop followed by a burning pain seared through his shoulder. He growled and rose to his feet, looking back at his horse which now lay still, its eyes open and unblinking. 

He cursed under his breath. 

The cottage wasn’t far off, he ran as quickly as his injured leg would allow towards the light, the girl’s bare feet dragged on the muddy earth. A silhouette of a woman appeared in the window for a moment before the door of the cottage swung open. A golden-haired woman ran towards him barefoot. 

“Aiden!” she shouted over the thunder “give her to me”

“You have to carry her. My arm is fucked”

The woman cradled the girl’s limp body in her arms then raced back inside. Aiden reached for his injured arm and sharply pulled it straight down, slipping his shoulder back into place with a loud pop. He grunted in pain and limped his way into the cottage. 

“Is she ok?” Aiden asked stepping into the hut. It was dry and warm inside, a welcome change from the rain and cold they endured “Gavina! Answer me!” his eyes were wild.

Gavina shot him a menacing look. “Don’t you dare snap at me. Go lie down, I’ll see to you next. Go.” she jabbed her finger towards the second room.

“H - How is she? Is she going to make it?” Aiden unfastened his cloak and threw it in a corner by the door. Gavina’s eyes widened when she saw the extent of Aiden’s injuries, he was in much worse shape than she had imagined. 

“Lay down on the cot over there.” she said softly “She might pull through. Removing her so soon after... I don’t know for sure” she breathed in sharply “I’ll do my best Aiden”

“Please don’t let this all be for nothing” Aiden limped over to the small room and pulled back the moth-eaten curtain. He drank a small vial of liquid and collapsed on his back on the cot. He closed his eyes when the room began to spin. The sounds of voices, screaming and clanging steel from the events of the last few days echoed in his mind then everything faded into darkness. 

He was running again, thundering down a dirt road but instead of holding Aleksandra he was holding a tiny tiger cub. He raced to an unknown destination, to safety. Suddenly, he was sitting by a campfire. His closest friend, Lambert, was standing next to a white tiger with bright blue eyes. The tiger began to grow white leathery wings and scales began to replace its fur. The tigress snapped her jaws and snarled. 

Aiden jerked awake, his right shoulder was stiff and painful. He struggled to sit but fell back, too weak and exhausted to sit up on his own. He could hear Gavina moving around in the next room, the sound of glass clinking followed by the soft thumping of a mortar and pestle. 

The tawny-haired witcher struggled to raise himself again but his body refused to cooperate. The thumping stopped and Gavina pulled the moth-eaten curtain aside. She had dark circles under her eyes and her makeup was smudged, he had never seen the sorceress look so unkempt.

“Oh good, you’re awake” she rubbed her green eyes with her fingertips “Aleksandra made it through the night, she is still weak but she looks like she should recover.” The green-eyed sorceress sat on the edge of the straw cot and helped him to sit up. “I need to look at your wounds and change the wrapping. You’re bleeding through again”

Aiden leaned over and rested his head on her shoulder. The familiar scent of patchouli and lemongrass flooded his senses, he absently caressed her neck with his lips. Her hands had abandoned their work. She shifted away from him, resting her delicate hand on his chest. “Aiden” she looked into his eyes “As adorable as you are when you’re helpless, now isn’t the time to revisit the past” she sharply ripped off the bloodied bandage from his chest and he hissed in pain. 

“Lay back down and get some rest. I’ll -”

“Aiden!” Aleksandra screamed from the next room. 

Gavina rushed to the girl's bedside. “Rest girl” she said

“Where am I?!” Aleksandra cried

“It’s safe Aleksandra, I’m here little cat” Aiden shouted “It’s safe little cat” 

Aiden heard Gavina cast a spell and the cottage fell silent again. His eyes grew heavy and the dream of the tiger cub returned. Aiden was woken up before the tiger had sprouted wings by the sound of the door slamming hard against its hinges.

“Do you really have to make so much noise?” Gavina accosted the noisy arrival

“Yes, I really do.” Sneered a familiar voice “Get back to making daisy chains or whatever the fuck you do”

“Lambert! Watch your fucking mouth” Shouted Aiden. 

The curtain was pulled back by a furious looking man with dark brown hair. “You didn’t think to fucking tell me you were going to try and kill yourself on some fool's errand?!” 

Lambert shouted “what the fuck were you thinking? Every cat in the north is looking for you.”

Aiden shifted his position trying to calm the sharp pain in his shoulder. “Lambert, if you were involved there would be a price on your head too... I can’t have that” 

“Save me your noble bullshit, they’re already looking for me”

“No one followed you?” Aiden asked he hadn’t considered they would hunt for Lambert too, it wasn’t much of a secret the pair worked closely together. “What have I done?” he thought.

“No... the illusion and barrier your witch put up should mask the trail. By the way, your horse is starting to bloat” said Lambert.

“Could you-”

“Sure I’ll go clean up after you again. Do you need your pillow fluffed too?” He sighed and looked over his shoulder at the girl sleeping in front of the hearth. “There must have been a reason for risking your life.” he leaned against the doorway “I know you love her like a daughter but was stealing her away in the night really necessary?”

Aiden shifted uncomfortably casting a downward look at his battered hands. “She’s special... something happened during her trial... I don’t know what exactly but I overheard the mages talking about…” he swallowed and cleared his throat “Breeding witchers. I-I couldn’t leave her there” 

“So the mutations didn’t work?”

“They did. She has the mutations and every bit a witcher but something didn’t work”

“Hmm” Lambert looked back at the curly haired girl again “So what now?” 

Aiden closed his eyes and sighed “I don’t know, take her to Zerrikania and lay low” he shook his head. 

He hadn’t thought through the plan after he escaped with her. The whole plan had been a rash decision from the start, only he and two other witchers had conspired with him to get the Aleksandra out. It didn’t really matter where they went. Word would spread fast in their brotherhood, they would be on the run for the rest of their lives. 

Lambert shifted his stance leaning against the door frame with his hands folded across his chest. “It doesn't matter where you go, they’ll find you. I can take her to Kaer Morhen.   
She’ll be safer there than on the road”

Aiden nodded in agreement

“I’ll go take care of your rotting horse. You owe me”

“More than you know Brother” Aiden thought. He laid back down when the door closed behind Lambert. Gavina swept into the room with a pitcher and some bread. 

“Looks like your loyal wolf showed up” she shoved the bread into Aiden’s hands and set the water pitcher on the floor next to his cot. 

“He’ll only be here till Aleks is well enough to travel to Kaer Morhen”

Gavina froze and began nervously fumbling with the lapis lazuli pendant hung around her neck. “Do you think that’s wise? How do you know their mages won't get the same idea?” 

“They won’t.” said Aiden firmly “The wolves don’t harbour murderers and miscreants like the cats do. She’ll be safe there” 

“Perhaps you’re right” Gavina said quietly 

“What is it?” she was nervous, he could sense it. She clenched her jaw and turned to face him. He saw tears in her beautiful green eyes. 

“You’ve seen something”

She nodded “The night you arrived, I - I had a vision” She sat on the edge of his cot taking his hand in hers. Aiden felt his stomach tighten.


	2. Chapter 2

Aiden gripped Gavina’s delicate hand, struggling to comprehend her words, Kaer Morhen had been attacked and every witcher within its walls was slaughtered. All of it was accomplished with help from the cat school, his own brothers. He felt sick and disorientated, Lambert had no idea what had happened. 

 

_How long would it take until the enraged mobs of peasants led by a bloodthirsty mage started to attack the other schools and hunt down every witcher they could find?_ Aiden thought.

 

Gavina gently touched her fingers to his face. “Aiden…” 

 

He looked up at her, there were tears in her eyes. “You’re… sure of what you saw? That it’s already happened… what if it was the future?” 

 

“I can’t foretell the future, I can only see the present. I was trying to find you but I saw - that - instead”

 

“What am I supposed to tell him? All of his brothers are dead?” Aiden cast a downward glance at their clasped hands and rubbed his thumb over hers. He rubbed his face with his free hand then pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes. “I’ll tell him when we reach Carreras, then head South. I’ll take Aleksandra with me to Zerrikania, he’ll probably head North…” 

 

They heard the door open then slam. Aiden regained his composure and whispered “We’ll talk about this later” Gavina nodded. She retrieved a small pot of ointment and strips of cloth and busied herself with addressing his wounds. The stench of burning flesh wafted through the open window. 

 

Lambert appeared in the doorway, his eyes filled with a mixture of sadness and anger. He had heard them talking, Aiden was certain of it. Lambert rounded on the both of them like a wounded animal yelling all kinds of colourful of obscenities, most of them directed towards Gavina. Aiden yelled back until his voice was hoarse. He knew Lambert was hurt and as usual, the wolf would lash out at the nearest target until he exhausted himself or the roof crashed down from the level of his voice, whichever came first. The former happened this time and Lambert turned on his heel, skulked out the door and took off to gods knows where. Probably the nearest tavern to drink himself into a stupor then beat the hell out of the first person who looked at him the wrong way. 

 

Gavina sat dumbfounded by what she had just seen and heard. She had never seen the wolf witcher so angry. “What… the hell just happened?” she breathed and looked at Aiden with her wide green eyes. 

 

“He heard us. He just found out all of his brothers are probably dead… I’m not surprised he acted like that… was hoping to have this conversation on the road far from here but it was going to happen sooner or later. Would have liked to not have you in the crossfire” 

 

“I don’t think I have been so thoroughly tongue thrashed since Aretuza” 

 

*************************

 

The trees had dropped their leaves in preparation for winter. A cold northern wind scattered the dried leaves and geese honked as they flew overhead heading South. The witcher girl was regaining her strength much to their happiness and despair. Aleksandra was getting restless, her constant poking through all of Gavina’s things was driving the sorceress mad. The conversation inside the cottage was a never-ending cycle of “don’t touch! Stop it!” finally followed by the last straw “Aiden! Come get your girl, she’s driving me crazy!” to which he would take Aleksandra outside and get her to practice her sword work until she was tired out enough to sit still enough for her book lessons.

 

When Aleksandra had recovered enough to ride a horse, they began to plan the long trek south to the hot, dry lands of Zerrikania, far away from any cat’s who would wish to track them. To err on the side of caution Gavina decided that a portal may not be the best option because the mages from the cat school could track where they were going. She would only use a portal if the situation called for it and disguises were in order. 

 

Aleksandra sat on a stool in the middle of the hut with her arms crossed. She scowled up at Aiden though her curly, untamed brown locks as he sharpened his prized hunting knife. 

 

“This is stupid” Aleksandra pouted, she changed her gaze to the sorceress “She can keep her hair! Why can’t I?”

 

“Put your claws away little cat” Aiden scolded the witcher girl “it’ll grow back but we need to make you look -”

 

“Look like a boy” Aleksandra growled then spat on the floor and glared at him. She was short tempered and volatile like most of the other cat school witchers. He wondered if the trials had advanced these personality traits or if she had always been this way… and if he had anything to worry about down the road. 

 

When Aiden was satisfied his blade was sharp enough he began to carefully cut away at the girl’s locks until she only had a shock of brown hair left. 

 

“I hate you” she growled staring down at the fallen clumps of her hair

 

“For now, but you’ll thank me one day”

 

The girl snorted and refused to look at either of them. 

 

“Come on” Aiden said firmly, throwing her a raggedy old cloak “time to be on our way”

 

********************************

 

They had been walking for three days and two nights when Aiden spotted a horse trader with five horses in tow. The trader seemed to be heading towards the Blessure river probably with the intent to sell the horses on the other bank which meant they were more than likely stolen. He hatched a plan to liberate three of the horses for themselves. Gavina was to distract him while Aiden snagged three of the horses. 

 

“What am I to do?” Aleksandra asked 

 

Aiden sighed out of frustration and pinched the bridge of his nose with his fingers, tightly closing his eyes. “You are to remain hidden at all times. Do not move from this spot”

 

“But I want to help!” the girl cried

 

“Please Aleks, just stay here. It’s for your own safety… I know you want to help but now’s not the time”

 

“Fine.” she said shortly sitting down in the underbrush with her arms crossed. 

 

Aiden swore under his breath. The girl had been nothing but trouble since the word go. Constantly running ahead of them or running off into the bush. Eventually, Aiden had had enough and tired her wrist to his using a piece of string, this just made her more agitated and unruly. He was at his wit's end with the witcher girl. 

 

“Please Aleks just stay here” Aiden repeated firmly then stood and motioned to Gavina that it was time. 

 

***********************************

 

Carter whistled mindlessly to himself as he led his small herd of horses towards the banks of the Blessure. He had the luck of running across a village decimated by the plague in Angren, the horses were still alive and he would be damned to let such animals go to waste when they could be better used by putting money in his pocket. 

 

“Please, sir! You must help me! There are bandits in the woods they robbed my carriage but I managed to escape their clutches… I don’t know what they have may have done…” A beautiful blond woman cried running from the tree line then fell to her knees wailing. 

 

He figured from her clothing that she must be a highborn lady and should fetch a nice reward from some well to do noble arsehole. Carter bent down to help the distraught woman to her feet but she caught him the chin with a strong uppercut to the jaw, making his teeth crack. He collapsed and lay helplessly as he watched the woman and a man, previously unseen, wrangle up his ill-begotten horses. A child, no older than ten, came running out from the edge of the treeline shouting. “Aiden! I want the grey! I want the grey!” 

 

The horse trader closed his eyes and everything went black. 

 

*******************************

 

The sun was setting by the time Carter came to his senses. He spat thick saliva mixed with blood onto the dry leaves and dirt on the cart road then unsteadily rose to his feet. His bay hadn’t gone too far from where he had been so viciously attacked by a woman in blue and gold, a man named Aiden and a young boy. Carter stumbled to his bay, mounted his horse and rode for Belhaven. 

 

*********************

 

The night was late by the time Carter reached the edge of Belhaven. His jaw still throbbed and he could feel cuts where the woman's rings had torn at his flesh. All he wanted right now was a drink and someone to listen to his tale of woe. The battered man dismounted from his loyal mare then lead her to the water trough outside of the small inn in the middle of town. 

 

The inn was nearly deserted save for a drunk peasant regaling a tale to a rough looking man with a shaved head and a missing eye who paid little attention to the comely woman who was busying herself with trying to win his affections by rubbing his shoulders and letting him rest the back of his bald head in her rather ample bosom. The rough looking rogue barely acknowledged Carter’s entrance. 

 

“I swear! It’s true! A golden dragon! It must have been at least a furlong!” the drunk shouted to the rogue.

 

“Did smoke come out of its ass too?” the rogue asked sarcastically, he wasn’t buying the drunks hallucinations but the drunk didn’t catch on.

 

Carter bought a bottle of whiskey with what money he did have left. He was thankful his attackers hadn’t taken his purse, which now that he thought about it, made the robbery seem more strange. He took a seat on the bench next to the drunk raving about golden dragons. The rogue stretched his fingers out, or at least that’s what it looked like to Carter. The drunk man immediately stopped talking and sat in silence. 

 

“You should go home Gendry, or whatever the fuck your name is.” the rogue said. The drunk got up without a word and walked out of the inn. The man sighed and rolled his head to face Carter, his head still resting on the harlots bosom. 

 

“My, my you look like shit. Wife get sick of you and sock you one?” he sneered

 

Carter immediately didn’t like the man but he was the only one in the building who would probably listen to his tale. 

 

“Not my wife but some woman knocked me out and robbed me of my horses” 

 

“That’s tough luck mate. Tell me the story as long as there are no ploughing golden dragons in it”

 

“No golden dragons but the woman struck like a viper and wore blue and gold”

 

The rouge raised an eyebrow and looked directly into Carter’s eyes. His gaze made Carter very, very uncomfortable. “Now I’m listening intently”

 

“I have a dress that is blue and -” the harlot tried to cut in

 

The rogue glared up at the harlot “Shut your gob woman, I’m not interested in you with your clothes on” he looked back at Carter “Now back to that horse theft…”

 

Carter told him the whole woeful story. Soon as he had mentioned there was a man rounding up the horses and a young child came running out of the bushes the rogue sat up and leaned on the heavy oak table between them. 

 

“Was it a girl?” he asked fervently.

 

“Well... I couldn’t see quite clearly… The child had short hair and shouted in a high voice but at that age…”

 

“What was the child shouting?” the intensity of the one-eyed gaze made Carter shift in his seat. He felt like he was teasing a starving mutt with a tasty morsel. 

 

“I want the grey, I want they grey” and the man’s name. Aiden” Carter finished, gripping his mug more tightly.

 

The rogues one good eye flashed with something malicious. Carter felt his stomach tighten. 

 

“This is a good story and I know a great ending for it.” the rogue smiled maliciously and stood up from his seat. He threw down a few florens on the table before running out the door. The last thing Carter heard was his bay neighing as the rogue urged her on. He didn’t dare make a fuss. That man... that man smelled of death. 

 

***********************************

 

Day had barely broken as the trio of horse thieves began to pack up their few belongings. Aleksandra was enthralled with her new grey mare who she named Smoke. Aiden had told her not to get too attached as they may need to switch mounts at some point on the trek South. He helped boost Aleksandra onto her horse before sensing they were being watched. He turned slowly, observing the edge of the forest. A man riding a bay horse thundered towards them, he recognized him. It was Henrik, a cat school witcher turned hired assassin. Aiden knew him well enough to know they were in grave danger. 

 

“Take the girl and go! go!” Aiden shouted to the sorceress, she complied but not before she hit the quickly approaching assassin’s horse with a well-aimed spell, killing it instantly. She swung onto the grey mare by its mane and urged the prancing horse far away from the witcher and their pursuer. 

 

The assassin named Henrik raised himself up from the ground with some difficulty, the mare had landed on his left leg and effectively crushing his leg and shredding his leather pants. He tried to run after the galloping grey mare with his prize on it but Aiden quickly positioned himself in his path.

 

“Aiden so nice to see you again brother. Right fucking mess you made” Henrik sneered

 

“You’re no brother of mine” snarled Aiden

 

“Right then I shall have no remorse for killing you” 

 

Henrik lunged at Aiden teeth bared, Aiden parried his powerful blows. He had fought Henrik before but never in a real fight. He knew his weaknesses just as well as Henrik knew his. The battle was a flurry of clanging steel and blood fueled by white rage. 

 

Gavina had made it far enough away to safely open a portal escape with Aleksandra who was more than eager to run back and try to help Aiden vanquish Henrik. She snatched the girl down from the greys back and quickly pulled them through the open portal.

 

Aiden was momentarily distracted by the whoosh of the portal closing that he opened himself up for a sharp blow to his thigh, he cried out in pain and fell to the ground. His attacker raised his arms ready to strike the killing blow but he managed to roll out of the way slicing his blade across the back of Henrik’s calves. They were both on the ground slicing at each other, neither man willing to relent. Aiden raised from the ground and staggered away from his crippled opponent. He beat away the one-eyed man’s sword and stood over him with the point of his blade aimed at his heart. 

 

“I always fucking hated you” Aiden panted 

 

“Likewise you whor-”

 

The one-eyed witcher pulled a dagger from his belt and plunged it to the hilt into Aiden’s thigh. He howled, driving the point of his blade through Henrik’s chest. He leaned all of his weight on his blade trying to support himself as he watched blood ooze from the dying man’s mouth. 

 

Aiden collapsed on the ground panting and writhing in pain, he was soaked in blood and wasn’t sure how much of it was his but all he knew was that he was in deep trouble. The dagger was still sticking out of his leg, he knew better than to pull it out himself. Exhausted, he lay on his back panting hard trying to block out his body screaming in protest to his every move. The sun was blocked out by Aleksandra’s fat grey mare, the horse knelt next to him and allowed him to pull his mangled body on its back. It was just his good fortune that one of the horses they stole was an old war horse who never deserted its rider. Aiden urged the horse on in the direction of Beauclair and buried his face in the horse's mane.


End file.
